9/11 family members welcome end of bin Laden

Tuesday, May 03, 2011 - 02:41

May 2 - Families of the 9/11 victims in New York welcome news of the end of bin Laden. Deborah Lutterbeck reports.

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Close to 3,000 people died in the September 11th attacks in 2001. When news broke that Osama bin Laden, the mastermind of those attacks was killed, some families of the 9/11 victims had mixed reactions.
Al Santora and his wife Maureen lost their 23-year-old son Christopher in the Twin Tower attacks.
SOUNDBITE: Al Santora, saying (English):
"We were kind of numb when we first heard it. We weren't really sure if it was really in fact you know, this was true. We waited and then we just were glued to the TV until the President spoke, and then we were watching the day afterwards and all of the commentators. It was a great feeling to hear this, but as I said, it's a mixed emotion. It's a rollercoaster ride, you're happy one moment and sad the next moment. No matter what happens, nothing is ever going to bring these people back."
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Sally Regenhard lost her son Christian who was a 28-year-old probationary firefighter.
He was lost with his entire engine company on 9/11.
Regenhard had given up hope that bin Laden could be ever caught.
SOUNDBITE: Sally Regenhard, saying (English):
"I was very, very surprised because I was one of the people that really, you know, gave up hope that this man would be captured. I mean it was ten years, it really was sort of like a joke. People, there would be cartoons about him (bin Laden) hiding there were jokes about the fact that President Bush never found him, you know, in eight years. I really was shocked and I was very surprised but I was very gratified that this happened."
Now Reganhard is thankful.
SOUNDBITE: Sally Regenhard, saying (English):
"I'd like to say that you know, I really have gratitude to the Obama administration regardless of politics or whatever. In almost ten years, no one could locate this man. I think he accomplished a great goal and I appreciate it." .
Bin Laden was killed in a U.S. assault on his Pakistani compound and then quickly buried at sea - a dramatic end to the long manhunt for the al Qaeda leader who had become the most powerful symbol of global terrorism.
Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters.

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